Mealtime battles are exhausting for everyone. Here are strategies I’ve used with families for over two decades to encourage healthy eating without the stress.
Make It Fun
Cut sandwiches into shapes, arrange vegetables into faces, or let kids build their own meals. When food is fun, children are more willing to try new things.
The One-Bite Rule
Ask children to take one bite of a new food before deciding they don’t like it. No pressure, no punishment—just one taste. It often takes 10-15 exposures before a child accepts a new food.
Involve Kids in Preparation
Children who help prepare meals are more likely to eat them. Even toddlers can wash vegetables or stir ingredients.
Avoid Food as Reward or Punishment
Using dessert as a reward makes it seem more valuable than other foods. Instead, treat all foods as neutral—some we eat more often, some less.
Model the Behavior
Children watch everything we do. If they see you enjoying vegetables, they’re more likely to try them too.
Family Meals Matter
Eating together as a family, even just a few times a week, has lasting benefits for children’s nutrition and relationship with food.